The British polar research vessel and icebreaker RRS Sir David Attenborough , operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and ostensibly sailing under the flag of the Malvina Islands, has begun its 2025/2026 Antarctic campaign. This deployment underscores the strengthening of the British presence and the complex dynamics of logistical support in South America.

Its journey, documented by Agenda Malvinas through the Marine Traffic tracking platform, places it southwest of the Canary Islands, bound for a crucial logistical stopover in the port of Montevideo , in what is shaping up to be an already established annual pattern (as documented in November 2024).

After refueling in Uruguay, the ship will continue its journey to British bases in Antarctica, including Rothera Base, where the strategic Discovery Building is scheduled to be inaugurated.

This route, which inevitably takes it to operate in sovereign areas of Argentina, is complemented by regular stops in Punta Arenas, Chile . The persistence of this route and the use of the flag of the disputed overseas territory generated opposition from the Argentine Senate and complaints from the government of Tierra del Fuego.

The route of controversy

The presence of the Sir David Attenborough in the Río de La Plata and subsequently in the waters of the Le Maire Strait off the coast of Tierra del Fuego (as occurred in January and May 2025) opened the debate on the sovereignty of the Malvina Islands and the increasingly diminishing responses of the national government and that of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands to these transits, flying the flag of the "usurping colony" the Malvina Islands.

So far, the government's justification for the concept of "innocent passage" has been contrasted with the symbolic and strategic value of a unit of this size, flying the Malvina Islands flag and registration FK, sailing in waters of sovereign interest.

The challenge of the Chile-United Kingdom Axis

Argentina's inaction directly contrasts with a visible movement in the region: the accelerated partnership between Chile and the United Kingdom in Antarctic and military matters .

The Sir David Attenborough is scheduled to make operational calls in Punta Arenas, Chile , a city that has established itself as a key logistics hub for the British deployment in the south . This increased Chilean logistical support is a direct response to Argentina's new defense policy. The Milei government's intention to militarily integrate the United States (through Southern Command) into a military base in Ushuaia has generated an immediate reaction in the Chilean-British bilateral relationship.

A recent example of this coordination was observed a few days ago, when three BAS aircraft took off from Punta Arenas toward Antarctica almost simultaneously with Chilean and Argentine military aircraft patrolling the area. This unusual and well-documented aerial activity underscores how Chilean logistics has become a pillar of British influence, establishing a clear strategic axis that seeks to balance Argentina's alliances in the south.

Antarctica as a power strategy

The British icebreaker's routine goes beyond mere scientific research . The Sir David Attenborough is, in reality, a tool for British geopolitical projection in one of the planet's most strategic regions. Antarctica, with its vast reservoir of freshwater and potential natural resources, is the largest pole of global interest.

By constantly operating in the South Atlantic and flying the flag of the usurping colony with logistical support from a neighboring country, the UK is not only conducting science (such as ice drilling in the Thwaites Glacier), but establishing an "active presence" that consolidates its territorial and maritime control .

The choice of route and the recurrence of stopovers have become a symbol of how the dispute over sovereignty is played out on the ground of concrete facts. While Argentina explores new alignments, the Chile-United Kingdom logistical axis advances, turning the voyage of a polar vessel into the simplest and most forceful manifestation of the reconfiguration of power in the global south.